Apparatus for electroplating small metallic articles.



' No, 737,162. I PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

- J. P. snnmon.

APPARATUS P03 ELEGTROPLATING SMALL METALLIC ARTICLES.

APPLIOATIOH FILED SEPT. 16, 1901.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 30 MODEL.

110. 737,162 PATENTED 4m.- 25, 1903. J. r. SHELTON.

APPARATUS ELBGTROPLATINGSMALL METALLIG ARTICLES.

APPLIOA'HQ] PILBU SEPT. 16, 1901.

I0 HODBL. 8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITE STATES Patented August 25, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

APPARATUS FOR ELECTROPLATING SMALL METALLICARTICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent no. 737,162, dated Augustas, 1903.

Application filed September 16, 1901. Serial No. 75,460. (No model.)

To a. whom it may concern/.

Be it known that I, JOHN F. SHELTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fort Worth, Texas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Electroplating SmallMetallic Articles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for electroplating small metallicarticles, and more particularlv certain small clamps used in buildingfences.

The object of this invention is to construct. apparatusforelectroplating quantities or masses of small articles whereby theelectroplating of such articles is made practical and much time andlabor is saved.

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the invention, shown connected withcertain driving mechanism. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the tank ortrough and other mechanism;

.. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal v'erticalsection of the tank or trough and abroken longitudinal vertical section of the revolving cylinder in thetrough. Fig. 4 is a broken sectional view showing the manner of makingelectrical connection on the shaft of the revolving cylinder.

Similar characters of reference are used to indicate the same partsthroughout the several views.

The electroplating process is done or carried on in the rectangular box1, of ordinary construction to hold water or other liquids. This box'ortrough is filled with a solution.

A perforated cylinder 2 is mounted on and revolves on a shaft'3. Thecylinder2 and shaft 3 are made of wood. The cylinder is constructed ofheads 4, to which are attached perforated wooden boards .5 by screws orother suitable means. One or more wooden disks 6 may be placed withinthe cylinder for the purpose of attaching the boards 5 thereto, wherebythe boards are strengthened. The shaft 3 is mounted in two crossesconsisting each of an upright post or bearing 7 and the board 8. Theposts 7 have openings therethrough for the shaft 3, and the shaft 3 issta tionary in the posts 7, the cylinder 2 revolving on the shaft 3. Theboards or cross-pieces 8 are provided with guideways 9 on the uprights10. Stops or strips 11 are attached to the uprights 10 to form thechannels or guideways 9, and the boards or cross-arms 8 move up and downin these channels or guideways.

The cross-arms 8 areheld in'position by pins V arms 8. Thus the cylinderis held in or out of the acid solution by means .of the crossarms 8 andthe pins 12. The uprights l0 may" be attached to the sides of. thetrough. A

* cross-bar 14 is attached to the top part of each pair of uprights.

Two metallic rods 15 are mounted on top 'of the trough 1, and at one endof the trough the. rods 15 are connected together by a metallic bar 16,so that electrical connection is made betweenlthe rods. Zinc bars oranodes 17 are suspended on the rods 15, one of these bars being showncompletelyin Fig. 2 through a brokenplace in theside of the trough'l.The rods 15 are connected to the positive pole of an electric dynamo bymeans of awire '18. Connection with the negative pole of the electricdynamo is made through the wire 19, which is connected to the rod 20,the wires 21 being connected to rod 20. The Wires 21 pass in the ends ofthe shaft 3, as shown in Fig. 4, and then out of the shaft and one ormore times around the shaft, it being necessary that there be somemetallic'connection inside of the cylinder 2. The clamps (shown in Fig.4) must be put in the cylinder 2 in such quantities that electricalconnection will be made throughout the mass of clamps, and there must beenough clamps to come in contact with the wires 21. This will completethe circuit through the rods 15, on which are hung the zinc bars 17, thetrough being filled I with a chemical solution. The cylinder 2 must beconstantly revolved while the clamps are being electroplated. This isdone by means of the belt 22, which runs over pulley 23, mounted onshaft 24:- The revolving of the cylinder 2 causes uniform electroplatingof the clamps throughout the mass of clamps. The shaft 24 is mounted insuitable hangers 25 and is driven by the belt 26. This belt is driven bythe shaft 28, which is driven by the pulley 27. Pulley 27 may be drivenby any suitable power. The clamps When made or formed are rough and havesharp ends and edges and must be tumbled before they are electroplated.They are placed in a tumbler 30, which is mounted on the shaft 28, sothat one quantity of clamps is tumbled while another quantity is beingelectroplated. The shaft 28 may be mounted in suitable bearings 29. Theelectric dynamo A may be driven by the belt 31. The electricalconnection with dynamoA has been described above. When one quantity ofclamps have been sufficiently electroplated, they are taken from thecylinder 2 and the supply in the tumbler is placed in the cylinder 2 andanother quantity of rough clamps are placed in the tumbler 30.

It will be understood from the above description how a mass of clamps iselectroplated at one time. The continuous agitation of the clamps byrevolving the cylinder 2, which is made of wood throughout andperforated, so that the solution passes freely through this cylinder,insures uniformity in electroplating each clamp.

It will be seen that the only contacts are the wires 21, the circuitbeing completed through the mass of articles to be electroplated, thearticles themselves making contacts with each other and those near theends of the cylinder making contact with the wires 21. The current iscaused to diverge from the central part of the cylinder and is moreevenly and thoroughly distributed to all parts of the cylinder byplacing the anodes nearer the central part of thecylinderandtrough,longitudinally con sidered,than the points at whichelectrical connection is made with the mass of articles.

Having fully described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus for electroplating small metallic articles in quantitiescomprising a trough containing a solution, anodes suspended in saidsolution, a frame removably mounted in said trough, a wooden shaftmounted in the lower part of said frame, a perforated wooden cylindermounted on said shaft, means for revolving said cylinder, means formaking electrical connection with said anodes, and means for makingelectrical connection with each end of a mass of metallic articlesmoving in said cylinder during the revolution of said cylinder.

2. An apparatus for electroplating small metallic articles in quantitiescomprising a trough containing a solution, anodes suspended in saidsolution, a perforated wooden cylinder mounted in said trough, a framehaving a Wooden shaft on which said cylinder is mounted, means forrevolving said cylinder, said cylinder being adapted to contain the massof metallic articles and to allow the solution to pass freelytherethrough, means for making electrical connection with said anodes,and means for making electrical connection with each end of the mass ofarticles whereby the circuit is completed through said mass of metallicarticles.

3. An apparatus for electroplating quantities of small metallic articlescomprising a trough containing a solution, a frame carrying a woodenshaft fixedly mounted therein removably mounted in said trough, aperforated wooden cylinder for containing the mass of metallic articlesmounted on said cylinder,

means for revolving said cylinder, means for ,wooden cylinder mounted onand revoluble on said shaft for containing said articles, metallic rodsresting on said trough, zinc bars suspended on said rods and in saidsolution, means for connecting said rods with the positive pole of anelectric dynamo, and means for connecting the mass of metallic articlescontained in said cylinder with the negative pole of said dynamo.

5. Apparatus for electroplating quantities of small metallic articlescomprising a trough containing a solution, a perforated non-conductingcylinder for containing said articles, a removable frame suspended insaid solution and carrying a non-conducting shaft on which said cylinderis mounted, means for continually revolving said cylinder on said shaft,anodes suspended in said solution, and means for making electricalconnection with said anodes and with the mass of articles.

6. Apparatus for electroplating quantities of small metallic articlescomprisinga trough having anodes suspended in a solution therein, aperforated non-conducting cylinder for containing the masses of metallicarticles, a non-conducting shaft for suspending said cylinder in saidsolution, means for revolving said cylinder on said shaft, means forconnectingsaid anodes with the positive pole of anelectric dynamo, andmeans for connecting the masses of metallic articles with the negativepole of said dynamo, said means consisting of suitable wires enteringthe ends of said shaft and extending to points within said cylinder andthen out of and one or more times around said shaft, the metallicarticles being utilized to complete the circuit throughout the mass ofarticles.

7. An apparatus for electroplating small metallic articles in quantitiescomprising a trough containing a solution; anodes sus- In testimonywhereof I set my hand, in the j pended in said solution, means forsuspendpresence of two witnesses, this 3d day of Sep-' 10 ing andcontinually agitating the mass of teniber, 1901.

articles in said solution and means for mak- 5 ing electrical connectionwith said anodes SHEYLTON' and solely with each end of the mass of me-Witnesses: v tallic articles, the circuit being completed A. L. JACKSON,

through the articles placed in said trough. W. O. FLY.

